Encyclopedia Titanica

Titanic Lifeboat Occupancy Totals

   Join Us and Hide Ads

In the aftermath of the Titanic disaster in 1912, both America and Britain held inquiries, in an attempt to find the causes of the accident, and if necessary, to make corrections or revisions to the existing safety laws and regulations. As part of the proceedings, the British Inquiry attempted to determine the order and times at which the lifeboats were lowered, and how many people where in each lifeboat.

by Bill Wormstedt, Tad Fitch and George Behe
Key Points

Inquiries and Estimates:

  • Both American and British inquiries were held to determine the causes of the disaster and to make necessary safety law revisions.
  • The British Inquiry and Colonel Archibald Gracie provided estimates of lifeboat occupancy, but these were often inconsistent and overestimated.

Lifeboat Launch Sequence:

  • The lifeboats were generally loaded and lowered from forward to stern.
  • Officers and crew members were responsible for supervising the loading and lowering of the lifeboats.

Occupancy Details:

  • The authors provide detailed estimates of the number of people in each lifeboat, based on survivor testimonies and photographic evidence.
  • Lifeboat occupancy varied widely, with some boats being significantly underloaded and others heavily loaded.

Discrepancies and Challenges:

  • There were discrepancies between the estimates provided by different sources.
  • The exact number of survivors in each lifeboat is difficult to determine due to varying testimonies and the chaotic nature of the evacuation.

Find it on wormstedt.com

Encyclopedia Titanica is not responsible for the content of external sites, and the availability of links may change.

About Research References on Encyclopedia Titanica
This item is not available to read on Encyclopedia Titanica, but we have included it as a reference, provided a brief summary of the key points, and linked to the original source to help readers interested in the finer details of the Titanic story.

Find Related Items

Lifeboats Lifeboat Occupancy

Contribute

  Get in touch